Field signaling device



Feb. 13, 1934. .1. STRAUGHAN FIELD SIGNALING DEVICE Filed March 25, 1932 Attorney.

gap

Ia'tented Feb. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATE DFFICE 1,946,595 SIGNALING DEVICE Joseph Straughan, Shelton, Wash. Application March 23, 1932. Serial No. 600,605

' l olaim- Q 3) My invention relates to portable devices for field signaling by means of telegraph and telephone devices attached operatively with a common form of electric flash light instrument.

One object of my invention is to provide in combination with a flash light, a sound receiver and ear phone designed to receive voice or sound fand telegraphic impulses transmitted to the inv strument, and transmit the same to another instrument located at the farther end of a connecting line or wire.

A still further object of the invention is a signaling device in which these several parts and their uses may be combined into a small instru- "mehti that can be carried in the hand, within a pocket or be suspended from a belt hook and thus ibe 'in'ponstant readiness for prompt and instant use. It is particularly designed as useful for camp and fleld'useby boy scouts and other parties where field signaling andtele'graphing codes are ,taught, learned and practiced? I attain these andother' ob ects by means of ,the device illustrated in the accompanying draw- Figure l is a front .view of .the device and shows the mouth and ear phone and the flash light operating button; Fig. 2 is a side view of the device and shows the exterior form of the device; Fig. 3 is a rear view of Fig. 1 with the cover removed from the telegraphing device and the operative connecting wires drawn out; Fig. 4 is a vertical crosswise central section of Fig. 2 and shows the grouping of the combined parts; and Fig. 5 illustrates the electric circuit arrangement indicated in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that the main part of my improved signaling device consists of a tubular case 1 quite like the usual form of a hand electric flash light and contains the small light and reflector 2 in front of which is a lens glass 3. Flash light battery dry cells 4-4 provide electric current for illumination and the light is flashed on and off by the thumb button 5.

In a crosswise cylindrical case 6 attached to the butt or top end of the case 1, is housed the telegraphing mechanism 7 and telegraph key 8 in the right hand end of the housing, and in the opposite end is housed the telephoning mechanism 9 with its combined mouth and ear piece 10, for receiving and transmitting voice and sound. Each of these mechanisms is properly wired with and energized from the battery dry cells 4-4, Connected therewith are attachment cords 11 and 12, composed of light insulated wires. These cords are to be of suitable length for the use designed, the cord ll. being provided with a spring hook clip 13 with which it can be attached to a wire set up or strung to connect-it with another like instrument at a distance. The cord 12 is pro so vided with a slip pin 14 made to be inserted through a hole in ground pin 15. The pins or the two instruments being stuck into the ground makes a complete electric circuit between the two instruments through a connecting wire partially 5 shown at 16.

It is now obvious that with two instruments constructed and connected as described, a telephone conversation can be carried on between two parties at quite a distance from each other through the telephone mechanism, and by using the electric mechanism and a telegraph code, messages can be transmitted in like manner. At night the flash light can be used to carry on an exchange of messages by means of an established flash light code. It will be seen that with newly devised combination, an easy and quickly established means of communication by voice, sound or light signal can be set up.

It is to be observed that several of the devices can be used on one line, each having a separate call letter or letters, the same as on regular telegraph lines. The connecting wire may be one of a wire fence or other similar means that are available. The telegraph signal that this device 35 makes is not of the click or sounder type used in the Morse telegraphy, but is on the radio order, having a singing or whistling note or sound. In fact, the idea is to imitate the radio note as much as possible.

It is to be further observed that there is nothing specially new or novel in the electrical construction or in the method of wiring the instrument, each part being equipped by well known means and methods. It will be noted by the wiring hook-up indicated that the battery current does not flow from one instrument over the connecting line 16 through the other one and back again, but completes a primary circuit within the instrument by going from the battery 4 10 over the Wire 20 to the. key 8, thence to the primary coil of the vibrator 21, thence back to the battery 4. However, a high frequency is set up in the primary coils of the vibrator 21 and by one side of said secondary being connected to the combined receiver and mouth-piece 10, thence to line 11, then through another like instrument and back via the ground to the other side of the vibrator secondary, thus a much louder signal is produced than would be pos:

sible if the current of one instrument operated the buzzer of the other instrument, it is also of interest to note that by the wiring diagram, that no current at all is employed when voice or sound is being transmitted. Thus the old original Bell system is employed.

When the telegraphing or telephoning device is not in use, the ground pin 15 is carried within a friction tube 17 fixed on the side of the case 1. The two extension cords l1 and 12 are neatly coiled within the small inclosure around and about the telegraph key 8 and are shut in by the dome-shaped cap 18 being put on over the .2

same. The device is thus made a neat compact instrument to be carried in the'handand used as a flash light to lighten ones path in thedark and for flashing signals at night as has been heretofore stated. Theinstrument can be carproximately eight inches in length and will be and is of ample size for camp and field signaling limited distances. Should greater power be desired, the case 1 can be elongated to receive additional battery dry cells to meet the demand.

Having described my invention, I claim:-

In a field signaling device of the class described, the combination of a dry cell electric battery; housed within a tubular inclosure, an electric flashlight housed in one end, of said tubular inclosure and operatively connected with said battery, a telephone instrument mounted on the opposite end of said tubular inclosure, a telegraph instrument mounted adjacent to said telephoneinstrument, each of said two instruments being operatively connected with said electric battery and being housed in and made a part of said tubular inclosure and attachable means whereby said two instruments may be temporarily connected with a transmission Wire for transmitting voice and vcode I messages.

1 S PH STR UG A 

